Guide 7 – The South West


 

The South west region is located in the state of Western Australia (WA) and this state occupies almost one third of Australia so you can say there is a fair bit of dirt here. It is an ideal region for campervan or motorhome travel and we have an affiliated rental company here in Perth.


 

Perth

Perth

T

he capital city of Western Australia and is the main centre to see the rest of WA. A beautiful city nestled on the shores of the Swan River where on Saturday afternoons the waters of the Swan our covered with boats sailing and motoring.
Adjacent to Perth City and elevated above it is the lovely Kings Park. An excellent place to spend an afternoon just walking and seeing the local fauna. The wildfowers here are exceptional and the park is beautifully maintained.
 
A 40 minute drive west south west of Perth and you will get to the port of Fremantle. After 1983 the city of Fremantle

The focus on this guide is the South West region of  Australia in Western Australia. A fabulous area for hire campervan or motorhome rentals.  The emphasis here is beautiful beaches, magnificent surfing spots, fabulous wine growing and huge Jarrah and Kauri forests. 

Fremantle

was given a huge facelift to make it ready for the first staging of the famous America’s Cup yacht race which Australia won from the Americans after 132 years. The city of Fremantle is a wondeful cosmopolitan centre with many nationalities living here. The history of the city is fascinating and two must visits are a tour of the old Fremantle Gaol – its OK as they won’t lock you in - and of the Fremantle Maritime museum.A walk around the port is also a great way to spend an afternoon.


 
Moving south from Fremantle down the coast – and the beaches along this part of the Australian coast are fantastic – we arrive at a satellite city to Perth. 
 
Mandurah.
 
Mandurah was originally a small fishing centre and has now grown as a residential and main commercial center with mansions on waterfront canals and its own inland lake which of course is very popular for boating. Beaches again are beautiful - just south of Mandurah there is a lovely beach area called Falcon - we highly recommend it.
 
Further south are the booming cities of Bunbury and Bussleton. Orginally seaside resorts for the people living in Perth they are now strong economic centres in their own right.
 
At this point the visitor has two choices. One is to keep heading south down the west coast and then heading east towards Albany and then coming back up through the heart of the South West to return to Perth. The other option is to do the trip in reverse. I personally prefer the former.
 
A short drive south – well about 2 hours - from Bunbury and you arrive at he beautiful Margaret River region which is now nationally and  internationally famous for its wine growing. The country here is kauri forest and an excellent driving area. Wine tasting is always on option but Margaret River was originally a major surfing destination and once a year there is a large surfing competition held here and at the nearby surfing spot of Yallingup. This area caters very well for campervan and motorhome travel with many camper parks set in beautiful country.
 
Many place names in the South West end in the suffix “up”. This suffix is an aboriginal term meaning – “water hole” or “place of water”.
 
Leaving this region – and it would not be hard to spend 2 or 3 days here - we head south again and arrive at Augusta.
 
Augusta is a small fishing town and tourist centre almost right on the south western most point of Australia. It is not large and can easily be seen in half a day making it a nice spot to stop for lunch while you then start heading east to the town of Denmark.
 
Denmark is a fabulous town in a stunning location. Right on the south coast with the Southern Ocean lapping on its beaches, Denmark could almost be taken for a little fishing village in parts of England. It still features Australian architecture and has become a great centre for retiring folk. It has a lovely atmosphere combined with its beautiful location.
 
A further drive of 2 hours brings you into the city of Albany .
 Albany
Albany was the site of the Cheynes Beach whaling station which finally closed in the seventies. It is now a museum and is well worth a visit. Fishing is still a large industry in Albany  and again the waters of the Southern Ocean lap on the beaches here. The countryside around Albany is very similar to places in the UK and Europe and the area does have a mild temperate climate.